In the city of Corregal, sword fighting is a way of life - unless you're a girl. While young men compete for prestigious positions within the ruling Houses, young women have to rely on others to protect them from the dangers lurking in the streets...
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"You boys were out late last night."
Sieur Eristan did not look up from the letter he was reading, so he missed the apprehensive looks his students shot back and forth across the table after he spoke.
Breakfast at Fleuracy House was not formal, but Eristan expected the three young men he mentored to arrive promptly each morning, prepared for whatever lessons or duties he might assign for the day. Romeric, still hazy-headed from the night's misadventure, had barely made it on time. Barris slunk in a little while later, with Eristan's daughter, Neda, right on his heels. She looked every bit as weary as Romeric felt, making him wonder what she'd been up to while they'd been out.
Surprisingly, Tierce had been the first one at the table. He'd been barely conscious when they'd dumped him on his bed the night before, still mumbling about his "wish cat" and stinking of sour beer and vomit. Romeric had been certain they wouldn't see him all day, but here he was, washed and groomed and neatly dressed, besides. Discipline had its virtues, he supposed. At least he looked miserable, staring at the plate of food in front of him with an expression that was equal parts queasy and mortified.
The awkward silence at the table dragged out, until Eristan eyed them over the top of his letter, eyebrows creased in critical appraisal.
"Yes, sir," Barris answered finally, far too late to be at all useful in defusing suspicion.
Eristan surveyed their faces, tallying the bloodshot eyes, pasty cheeks, and generally haggard expressions. When he arrived at the unavoidable conclusion, he pursed his lips, but whether he was disappointed or amused, Romeric really couldn't tell. He folded his letter neatly and set it next to his plate. "I was surprised when you didn't come and ask me about the Bell."
The Bell! After everything that had happened last night, they had completely forgotten the ringing of the Gate House Bell. "It was so late," Romeric said, catching Barris's eye across the table. "We did not wish to disturb you."
"I see," Eristan said. "I appreciate the consideration." He looked at them expectantly, but no further questions were forthcoming. Frowning faintly, he turned his attention to his meal.
The scraping of utensils on plates was the only sound in the room for several long minutes. Breakfast this morning was the usual: smoked fish, crusty bread, summer-fresh melon and berries. Romeric had no appetite, but he forced himself to swallow a few mouthfuls for appearance's sake. Barris, too, made an unenthusiastic show of trying to eat, though he was mostly just pushing food around his plate. Tierce didn't even pretend. He kept his hands in his lap and his gaze down, food untouched in front of him. Romeric eyed him sidelong, wondering how much he actually remembered about the night before.
They had agreed to keep the events of the night to themselves. With no witnesses and only a mangled, nearly unidentifiable corpse as evidence, it had seemed unlikely that anyone would believe they'd been attacked by some kind of magical beast in the middle of the city. If it weren't for the deep scratches on his arm, Romeric wasn't sure he would believe it himself. "We were all drinking," he'd pointed out. "If we tell anyone, they only thing they will hear is that we killed a cat." It was not a reputation any of them wanted to have to live down.
